Ballarat cricketer Short assists with upset win in Darwin

BALLARAT cricket export Matt Short is putting his game against proven test and one-day international players in northern Australia.

Matt Short

Short, teaming with Australian rising talent in the National Performance Squad, was part of an upset win against Australia A in Darwin on Tuesday.

The NPS dismissed the A order for 200 runs – 52 runs short of their earlier tally.

Short opened the batting for NPS with 29 runs before he became trapped in front while attempting a sweep shot off Queenslander Cameron Boyce.

A handy off-spinner, Short claimed the wicket of Australia A opener Alex Doolan (55 runs) and took catches to oust captain Cameron White (26 runs) and Tom Cooper (three runs).

Doolan had formed solid top-order partnerships with both White and Chris Lynn on his way to a half-century.

The match is part of a quadrangular series that also features South Africa A and India A line ups.

Short, aged 19, is fine-tuning his game this winter with Cricket Australia’s Centre of Excellence in Brisbane, which includes a month-long stint in Sri Lanka.

The St Patrick’s College graduate is chasing a Victorian Bushrangers debut next summer.

Short played his junior cricket with East Ballarat before moving to Northcote in Victorian Premier Cricket.

He has taken massive steps up in the past year, securing rookie contracts with the Bushrangers and Twenty20 club Melbourne Renegades, making a century on debut for the Australian under-19s against New Zealand and representing Australian in the world under-19 cup in the United Arab Emirates earlier this year.

The NPS’ next assignment is India A on Thursday with a rematch against Australia A on Saturday.

It will face India A again next Tuesday in Palmerston before Short gets a chance to improve on a tough outing against South Africa A